Effects of short-term exposure to [Imt, 50 Hz] electromagnetic fields on calcium concentration in different brain regions of mice: the role of calcium channel blocker

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the effect of short-term exposure to 50 Hz [1 mT] extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields [ELF EMFs] on the Ca[2+] concentration in 4 different regions of the mice brain [cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus and brainstem]. University of Bahrain, Arabian Gulf University. Prospective Randomized Controlled Study. Adult BALB/c male mice were exposed to 50 Hz [1 mT] ELF-EMFs for 2 hours/day for five consecutive days and were treated orally with the calcium channel blocker Amlodipine. Calcium was extracted from the mice brain tissues and the concentration of Ca[2+] was determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The effect of ELF EMFs exposure on the Ca[2+] concentrations varied in different regions of the brain, with a significant increase [P<0.05] only in the hippocampus and the brainstem. This increase occurred during short-term exposure to ELF EMFs and the Ca[2+] concentrations started to decrease during the interval of no exposure. The rise in Ca[2+] concentration due to ELF EMFs exposure did not occur in mice treated with the calcium channel blocker Amlodipine. The increase in Ca[2+] concentrations could have involved activation of the voltage-gated calcium channels [VGCCs] by ELF EMFs